Category Archives: Theatre Jams

This week has already been very busy with theatre-ness, and with the Hollywood Fringe Festival upon us it’s about to get even busier!

The ninth play reading which featured Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonergan at Theatre Jams last Sunday night was really great. I can’t believe I’ve been hosting these for six months! My apple tart tatin (big thanks to The Gourmandise School for the lesson and recipe!) came out great, and the script was a great pick (thanks Ian!). I think the theme in the play of wanting to do something important with your life while feeling trapped in your given circumstances is something that was a little too real for each of us.

After cleaning up, I talked to Michael about my fears of choosing a date for a few of us to meet to discuss the future of the group. Michael assured me that, “At this point, if you set it up, people will follow you.” That really struck me. While I’ve been stressing over getting brand new appetizer recipes every other week and figuring out the easiest way to have access to a free scanner or make free copies (not to mention fighting for time for this project while working four different day jobs and trying to be an actor), I never stopped to think about the leadership position I’d happened to put myself in. How did that happen? Not only that, but I’d actually managed to get LA ACTORS, one of the most difficult groups of people to motivate to leave the house, to drive and find parking somewhere at my proposal without money or the promise of a casting director meet & greet being involved. Of course, part of this could be contributed to the fact that I make delicious snacks every time, but I have to acknowledge that I’ve got something going here, and that the leadership role is one that I seem to step into very easily. I think it’s important for us to take time to celebrate these small victories. As artists, we can get so caught up in the energy of constant struggle that the successes slide by us unnoticed and unaccounted for. It will be a new goal of mine to take stock of the ups as well as the downs, but it’s great to know that I have people around me who will remind me of the positives when I forget them. I’m excited to see Jams grow and if you’re reading this and you live in LA and you haven’t come out for one, you’re missing out!